NATO strap

Whether or not you know exactly what a NATO strap is, you’ve definitely seen one. A trend item that has aggressively taken hold of the watch industry, NATOs can be found on just about any watch, from $35 Timex Weekenders to $7,000 Rolex Submariners to $50,000 Patek Philippes. While the straps have become fairly ubiquitous, their origin can be traced back to a single point in history -- and it has nothing to do with NATO forces.

From the Archives: The history of James Bond and his timepiece choice can really be divided up into the “Rolex Era” and the “Omega Era”, despite the fact that the Bonds of Roger Moore and Timothy Dalton donned digital Seikos and a TAG Heuer in between. But Moore’s 007 had more to be ashamed of than what he wore on his wrist, and when was the last time you watched License to Kill? That’s what we thought. We celebrate 50 years of Bond and his wristwatches.